Thieves bring trains to a halt<\/p>\n
Mulkta Fidrus
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Tangerang<\/p>\n
Cable thieves have struck again.<\/p>\n
Six electric commuter trains plying the Serpong, Tangerang-
\nTanah Abang and Jakarta routes were brought to a halt on Thursday
\nthanks to dare-devil thieves who cut and stole the high voltage
\noverhead cables linking Pondok Ranji and Tanah Kusir.<\/p>\n
Train authorities suspended all operations of the trains
\nleaving thousands of commuters stranded at Serpong Station in
\nTangerang, Banten.<\/p>\n
\"This is the second time that thieves have hit electric
\ncommuter trains this month,\" station head Suyatno said.<\/p>\n
He said thieves cut and stole 100 meters of high voltage
\ncables, making it impossible for the electric trains known as
\nKRLs to operate.<\/p>\n
Until late last night, authorities had yet to install new high
\nvoltage cables for the trains.<\/p>\n
The KRL service -- consisting of three airconditioned and
\nthree non-airconditioned trains -- ferries up to 10,000 commuters
\nto Jakarta every day.<\/p>\n
Last Saturday, thieves stole 50 meters of high-voltage cable
\nbetween the Sudimara Station in Jombang village and Serpong
\nStation, Suyatno said.<\/p>\n
\"We believe the thieves are in the same gang. The cables carry
\nhigh voltage of 1,500 and 2,500 volts. Such high charges can kill
\npeople,\" he said, adding that the thieves likely had a technical
\nunderstanding of KRL's cable operations.<\/p>\n
Some passengers who had been waiting at the Serpong Station
\nsince 5 a.m. were finally advised to take Jakarta-Rangkas Bitung
\ndiesel train at 7:04 am, although the train serving Jakarta-Merak
\nroute does not normally stop in Serpong.<\/p>\n
Suyatno was still unsure when the electric trains would resume
\noperations. \"Several officers have been repairing the cables but
\nthis is technical work; we can not be certain sure when the
\ntrains will start again,\" he said.<\/p>\n
KRLs serving the Serpong-Tanah Abang route, with stops at
\nSudimara, Pondok Ranji, Tanah Kusir, Kebayoran Lama and Palmerah,
\nare cheap and popular modes of transport for many Serpong
\nresidents who commute to Jakarta by train to avoid traffic
\ncongestion.<\/p>\n
Most buses from the area take more than three hours to reach
\nthe city center at peak hour because of the jams.<\/p>\n
\"We hope the KRLs will resume operation soon,\" Anwaruddin, a
\nresident of Serpong, said.<\/p>",
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